Neither Truth nor Reconciliation: Political Violence and the Singularity of Memory in Post-socialist Mongolia

This paper explores the forms of memory of political violence in post-socialist Mongolia. In particular, I examine why Mongolia has not established a truth and reconciliation commission, pursued a policy of lustration or followed any of the other paths often taken after an episode of political violence or repression. I argue that Mongolia has not done so largely as a result of a particular emphasis on personal memory in the form of 'singularities'. This emphasis has helped preclude the enveloping of personal accounts into larger social or political narratives, which are often seen as necessary for 'coming to terms with the past'. I close by examining some of the broader implications of the Mongolian case for our understanding of the legacy of political violence.